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Important This article contains information about how to modify the registry. Make sure that you back up the registry before you modify it. Make sure that you know how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up, restore, and modify the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

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This article describes how to disable CAD .dwg files after you install Microsoft Office Visio 2003 Service Pack 3 (SP3) or Microsoft Office Visio 2007 Service Pack 2 (SP2). The solution also applies to Visio 2010 and Visio 2013, and no Service Pack is required for these versions.

Warning Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry
incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by using another method. These problems
might require that you reinstall the operating system. Microsoft cannot
guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify the registry at your own
risk.

After you install Visio 2003 SP3 or Microsoft Office Visio 2007 SP2, you can disable the use of .dwg files in Visio 2003 and higher. You may want to disable .dwg files in Visio to improve the security of Visio files.

When
you disable .dwg files, the following behavior occurs:

AutoCAD Drawing (*.dwg; *.dxf) does not
appear in the Files of type box in the Open
dialog box

CAD Drawing is disabled on the
Insert menu.

When you open a Visio file that contains a CAD object, the
CAD object appears as a empty container. The ActiveX control on the CAD object
is disabled.

AutoCAD Drawing (*.dwg; *.dxf) does not
appear in the Files of type box in the Save
As dialog box.

Convert CAD Drawings is disabled when you
point to Add-ons on the Tools
menu.

Convert CAD Library is disabled when you
point to Add-ons on the Tools
menu.

To disable .dwg files, follow these steps:

Exit Visio.

Start Registry Editor. To do this, use one of the following
methods:

In Windows Vista, click Start

Collapse this imageExpand this image

, type regedit in the
Start Search box, and then press ENTER.

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If you are prompted for an administrator password or for
a confirmation, type the password, or click
Continue.

In Microsoft Windows XP, click Start,
click Run, type regedit in the
Open box, and then click OK.

Locate and then click the following registry key:

Visio 2013:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\15.0\Visio\Application

Visio 2010:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\14.0\Visio\Application

Visio 2007:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Visio\Application

Visio 2003:

HKEY_CURRENT_User\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Visio\Application

After you click the key that is specified in step 3, point
to New on the Edit menu, and then click
DWORD Value.

Type DisableDWG, and then press
ENTER.

Right-click DisableDWG, and then click
Modify.

In the Value data box, type
1, and then click OK.

On the File menu, click
Exit to exit Registry Editor.

The
third-party products that this article discusses are manufactured by companies
that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or
otherwise, about the performance or reliability of these
products.

Note This is a "FAST PUBLISH" article created directly from within the Microsoft support organization. The information contained herein is provided as-is in response to emerging issues. As a result of the speed in making it available, the materials may include typographical errors and may be revised at any time without notice. See Terms of Use